Thuis in de storm.
At home in the storm.
Meditatie en uitwisseling in "de Schatkamer"
Maandag 14 september, 2026 (English below)
Dierbare Sangha,
Deze zomer heb ik veel tijd alleen en in stilte doorgebracht.
In een retraite in Frankrijk, en zwervend met mijn tentje en zwervend met een zeilboot.
De stilte en de afwezigheid van zintuigprikkels was lauterend.
Het koste me meerdere dagen om afstand te nemen en mijn draai te vinden.
Er was toch steeds weer een berichtje of een nieuwsgierigheid of een herinnering dat een afspraak nog niet gemaakt was.
Ook het wereldnieuws zorgde regelmatig voor boosheid en verdriet.
Ik schrok ervan hoeveel ik nog bezig was met de wereld en dat de vreedzame omgeving me ontging. Daarna heb ik me op email-dieet gezet, per dag 1 uur.
Na een paar dagen ging het vanzelf. Ik had gemerkt dat veel zaken gewoon wel konden wachten.
De grootste stap was geen nieuws kijken of lezen, en later alleen met mate, alleen om globaal te weten wat er speelt.
Soms woedt er een storm, een storm buiten ons.
Soms woedt er een storm in ons.
Hoe kun je de relatie aangaan met de buitenwereld zonder jezelf te verliezen en speelbal te worden?
Hoe kun je de emoties en gedachten in jezelf waarnemen en niet overspoeld worden.
Hoe kan ik in contact blijven zonder me emotioneel af te sluiten voor de pijn.
De oefening die de Dharma ons aanreikt is teruggaan naar je adem, thuis komen en je lichaam weer voelen, de verbinding met je wortels, met het leven herkennen en ervaren dat je gedragen wordt.
In zijn laatste woorden voor zijn dood, zei de Boeddha dat je aandacht als een eiland voor jezelf is. Een plek waar je veilig bent in de woelige zee van emoties. Een plek die niemand je kan afnemen. En die altijd bij je is.
Je aandacht is als een lamp die laat zien waar je bent en waarmee je kunt kijken waar je je voet neer kunt zetten voor een volgende stap.
Je aandacht laat zien dat je, door de Dharma, als een boom stevig geworteld bent, in al je voorouders, in al je leraren en in je omgeving. De storm kan aan de takken trekken, maar de stam is stabiel door de wortels in voedzame grond. Je bent niet afgescheiden, je wordt gedragen.
De les die ik deze zomer heb geleerd is dat het me lukte om terug te schakelen door meditatie en de verbinding toe te laten. Om weer helder te worden en de wereld weer in perspectief te zien. Om de wereld gedoseerd weer toe te laten vanuit compassie en het vertrouwen van verbinding.
Maandag avond zullen we samen mediteren en delen.
Ik wens je een vredig weekend, vol ontdekking en verbinding.
Harte groeten,
Hans
At home in the storm.
Meditation and sharing in "de Schatkamer" this Monday evening.
Meditation and sharing in "de Schatkamer" this Monday evening.
Dear Sangha,
This summer I have spent a lot of time alone and in silence.
In a retreat in France, roaming with my small tent and on a sailboat.
The silence and the absence of sensory stimuli was nourishing and healing.
It took me however multiple days to take a distance and be at ease. There was every time a new message, or a curiosity, or a memory of an appointment to be made.
Also the world-news caused regularly anger and sorrow.
It startled me when I saw how much the world still occupied me. After that realisation, I have set myself on an e-mail diet, one hour a day.
After a few days it became easy. I noticed that many issues could wait. The biggest step was no news, and later-on only just enough to know what was going on.
Sometimes there is a storm, a storm outside us.
Sometimes there is a storm inside us.
How can you keep the relationship with the outside world without loosing yourself.
How can you observe the emotions and thoughts in yourself and not being overflown.
How can I say connected without closing off emotionally.
The practice that is offered to us by the Dharma is to go back to our breathing, coming home and feel your body again. Recognizing the connectedness with your roots, with life and experiencing that you are carried.
In the last words before his death, the Buddha said that your awareness, your mindfulness is like an Island onto yourself. A place where you are safe in the turbulent sea of emotions. A place that cannot be taken away from you and that is always there.
Your mindfulness is like a lamp, that shows you where you are and where you can place your foot for the next step.
Your mindfulness shows you that, with the Dharma, you are firmly rooted like a tree, by all your ancestors, all your teachers, and your environment. The storm can pull at the branches, but the stem is firm and stable by the roots in nourishing ground. You are not separated, you are carried.
The lesson I learned this summer is that through meditation and allowing the connectedness, I could slow down and reconnect. Get a clear mind again and gained a new perspective. And allow the world in again in a dosed way, starting from compassion and the confidence of connectedness.
Monday evening we will meditate and share together.
I wish you a peaceful weekend, full of discovery and connectedness,
Heartfelt regards,
Hans
This summer I have spent a lot of time alone and in silence.
In a retreat in France, roaming with my small tent and on a sailboat.
The silence and the absence of sensory stimuli was nourishing and healing.
It took me however multiple days to take a distance and be at ease. There was every time a new message, or a curiosity, or a memory of an appointment to be made.
Also the world-news caused regularly anger and sorrow.
It startled me when I saw how much the world still occupied me. After that realisation, I have set myself on an e-mail diet, one hour a day.
After a few days it became easy. I noticed that many issues could wait. The biggest step was no news, and later-on only just enough to know what was going on.
Sometimes there is a storm, a storm outside us.
Sometimes there is a storm inside us.
How can you keep the relationship with the outside world without loosing yourself.
How can you observe the emotions and thoughts in yourself and not being overflown.
How can I say connected without closing off emotionally.
The practice that is offered to us by the Dharma is to go back to our breathing, coming home and feel your body again. Recognizing the connectedness with your roots, with life and experiencing that you are carried.
In the last words before his death, the Buddha said that your awareness, your mindfulness is like an Island onto yourself. A place where you are safe in the turbulent sea of emotions. A place that cannot be taken away from you and that is always there.
Your mindfulness is like a lamp, that shows you where you are and where you can place your foot for the next step.
Your mindfulness shows you that, with the Dharma, you are firmly rooted like a tree, by all your ancestors, all your teachers, and your environment. The storm can pull at the branches, but the stem is firm and stable by the roots in nourishing ground. You are not separated, you are carried.
The lesson I learned this summer is that through meditation and allowing the connectedness, I could slow down and reconnect. Get a clear mind again and gained a new perspective. And allow the world in again in a dosed way, starting from compassion and the confidence of connectedness.
Monday evening we will meditate and share together.
I wish you a peaceful weekend, full of discovery and connectedness,
Heartfelt regards,
Hans
